The Rescue
by Independent01
Summary: The detectives make the biggest mistake of their lives. They get emotionally involved in a case, a case of a teenage girl. Caution...like the show this story involves strong themes intended for a mature reader. PLEASE R and R
1. A String

"Elliot…Elliot…" 

Detective Stabler awoke with a start. Jumping to his feet he allowed his eyes to focus and found his perplexed partner staring at him.

"_Cragen wants to talk to us…" _Olivia Benson chuckled. "_I figured you'd rather me wake you up than him."_

"_I wasn't sleeping…I was eh…" _Stabler searched for a plausible excuse.

"Resting your eyes? Come on, we got something to check up on…" 

Captain Cragen looked distressed as he hung up the phone. He waved the detectives into his office.

"_Stabler, so glad you chose to join us in consciousness today."_

Elliot wisely kept his mouth shut.

"_Well, this is a little bit different than your normal case load, but I figured you two would be interested. You both remember Hope Perrington? Well…it's obvious that this entire unit has a soft spot for the girl. Brace yourselves…she's gone missing…"_

Detective Benson's face dropped. Even Stabler's eyes began to tear thinking of Hope. A few months back a teenage girl took her brother to the ER. The boy's arm had been badly broken, and the girl was pretty beat up. A nurse suspected rape, and had called the office. Olivia spoke with Hope, Stabler with the younger boy. Benson remembered the look on the girl's face with the whispered answer when asked if she was raped. "_You…you don't know how much I want to tell you…" _Hope collapsed into tears and fell into Benson's arms. Maternal instincts spiked, it was needless to say that Benson wanted nothing more than to _get the bastard _But as Novak pointed to, there could be no conviction based on the look in her eyes. Stabler looked further into family record, and had discovered that the two had an older brother who died only a month before his eighteenth birthday. Taylor, the boy, had brought up his big brothers name many times when he spoke with Stabler…always getting very emotional.

The father picked the two up very late at the precinct, and told the detectives to leave his children very well alone. Benson had to hold Stabler back, when Hope's father yanked her hard by the arm and pushed her towards the car. Surprisingly the next day, around the time that public school let out there arrived young Hope at the door, just needing to sort some things out, about everything that happened. It was obvious that the girl just needed a safe place to be, but no one complained. She grew very close to almost everyone in the place, to the point where her nickname became "the irreplaceable intern." These daily visits lasted for a little over a month. One-day Hope came in visibly upset, her face pretty battered on one side.

She only stayed for ten or fifteen minutes running immediately over to Detective Stabler (Benson had taken the day off). _"Kiddo…"_ He whispered "_I don't…I don't want you to keep getting hurt. I want you to be safe…please let me help you." _She looked up at him, her hands balled in fists, _"…You don't know how much I want to. But I'm not only worried about myself…Can…can you just hug me right now. I don't want to talk anymore…" _Stabler's heart almost broke but he pulled the crying teenager into his arms, and kissed her forehead. A few moments later, she calmed down, and after noticing the time jetted out the door. That was the last time anyone in the precinct had heard from her. The group had tried tracking the family down, Fin brought in one drunk after the other to try and find their father. But they seemed to have disappeared without a trace.

"_What…what happened?" _Olivia sputtered out finally.

"Well…no surprise it wasn't her scumbag dad that called her in missing, it was her kid brother, Taylor. Supposedly she's been gone for two weeks, and the only reason we're learning of this is because the dad is planning an out of state excursion."

"_He's got somebody on his ass…" _Stabler said softly.

"A whole bunch of somebodies it seems. Well, Taylor says his sisters done this a few times before, he just doesn't want to abandon her completely when she comes home. I know what your about the ask…we couldn't trace the call. This kid's smart, he's got the number blocked. I've already called Novak, there's no way to get Taylor away from his dad at this point. We have a chance to save Hope though…"

The three looked grim, but nodded slowly one by one.

"_Well if we're searching the streets better get the other two on the case, right?" _Benson added.

"Already done…and believe me they are some POed cops. I wouldn't want to cross them the wrong way today. I might find myself on the deserving end of something that would cause a long battle with the DA's office." Cragen ended. 


	2. Habbits

Detective Munch leaned against the brick walled arms folded. A morbid grin crossed his face.

"_Fin, is that your man?" _ He asked nodding off in the distance.

"_I told you'd he'd come. Stay back…your acting too much like a cop."_ Fin half jogged to go meet up with the dealer.

After a few hours of asking around, not too politely, Munch and Fin had found what they were looking for. A teenage girl peddling on the street, picking up money here and there for various dealers, had been coming in and out of the picture for a few months. She didn't talk much, but she didn't need to. She spoke big, and she didn't get pushed around. Her most defining characteristic was explained as her big shining green eyes. They knew right away they had the right girl. Now Fin was trying to get his man to get a hold of her. And Finn could be pretty persuasive.

"_Look…you owe me. Where is she?" _Finn growled as he cornered the burnout.

"Yeah…but I aint a rat, you know that."

"_I'm giving you one more chance. This girl is like family to me, and no one messes with my family. Call her, tell her to get her ass over here."_

The whining of her cell phone not-so gently awoke Hope. She rubbed her eyes, not surprised to find her face wet with tears. She steadied her voice and answered.

"Hey…yeah…twenty minutes…I got it…wait up a sec, can I get a fix with you…good…okay…peace"

She looked at her reflection in the cracked mirror the cheap hotel. She felt so small, so lonely. She never showed it, but each new morning terrified her. Hope had thought this change would give her control over her life, she liked getting high, and she liked having respect. Neither of which her family gave her. Her father…her own father had raped her, and beat her up whenever he was drunk enough. He'd broken Taylor's arm, and then brainwashed the kid. Even he was getting on her case now. And in a drunken rage one night her father had killed the only person that Hope had ever trusted, her big brother…because he told their father he was taking Hope as soon as he turned 18. And her father killed him, he killed him. But now it didn't matter. She was out on her own, she wasn't getting hurt anymore. Sure the boys on her beat acted tough, but she had back up and they knew that. But she still didn't feel right. She didn't feel loved…or protected. Something wasn't right. She sat down and thought to herself.

_I wonder what they would say if they found me like this. No, I have a hell of a good idea. John would try and scare me; he acts like he doesn't care about anyone, but in the end he'd let up. Fin…probably alternate between hugging so hard I couldn't breathe and whooping my ass so hard I couldn't sit down for a week. Cragen, I really like the guy. He'd probably have a sad look on his face, like I'd really let him down, but he'd forgive me quickly enough, and start spoiling me again. Damn, Olivia…she's been like a mother to me. I don't know how much that would hurt her. Or daddy – I mean Elliot. Stupid…stupid…stupid, my father is a dirt bag. Detective Stabler could never be my dad…why would he want to? All I've done is screw up. I can't think about this. I need a fix._

Twenty minutes later she was just on time. She saw Mario on the corner, with two other guys, hidden in the shadows. Something felt off, like a bad taste in her mouth.

"Yo, Mario you said you were bringing one friend. There's only enough ice for three of us…" She chided as she reached the corner.

"Don't worry…you won't be doing anything for a long time…" The stranger in the shadows corrected. The voice sounded familiar…stereotypical bad cop. Fin stepped out of the shadows.

"Shit…" Hope turned and sprinted, heavy thuds followed behind her.


	3. Tough Love

Within thirty seconds Hope felt her feet fly out from under her, and she strategically landed over Fins left shoulder. Just out of instinct she started screaming "Put me down…" A tremendous hand landed on her upturned ass and shut her up. "Don't bank on it just yet, sweetheart." Munch chuckled. The walk to the police car, though embarrassing was relatively short. Hope had regained her composure. Calmly she inquired…

"Can you…put me down now, please? I'll be good."

Fin immediately set her back on her feet. What adorned his face was not an angry grin like Munch, but a dead set frown. His voice grew loud and emotion

"I don't want to ever…ever see you doing anything like that again…don't you think? You could've…"

His voice cracked, and he couldn't finish the sentence. He pulled her into his arms roughly, and held her tightly. One could tell that when they separated, neither really wanted to. They all piled into the car, and Munch reached back and patted the girl's knee.

"Don't make yourself believe that your not still in a shit load of trouble." She grimaced unintentionally.

"Erm..guys?" her voice lowered until it was almost inaudible… "I…I'm sorry, don't hate me so much, okay?"

Munch stopped the car in the middle of the street and the two detectives turned back to face her.

"Don't be stupid we don't hate you…we've never hated you. Just maybe hated how you bought into the stereotypical attention seeking behavior."

Munch spit out, the closest he had come to being openly emotional. Finn looked at hope dead in the eye and asked.

"Do you know how I got your friend out there to rat you out?"

"…no…"

"I told him you were like family to me, and no one messes with my family. I…we all care bout you like you were our own. Don't ever think differently. Understood?"

Hope broke out into a brilliant smile…

"Yes sir"


	4. Lessons

Benson and Stabler reached the unit before the runaway. Benson and Cragen were arguing about the best thing to do with Hope.

"Are you kidding me? Put her in the system tonight?" Olivia shouted back. 

"Well, what else are you going to do? We can't very well keep her here alone, that wouldn't work."

"_Do you even know how much foster care screws with a kid, do you care about her?"_

"_Don't go there. We all care about her. But anything is going to be better the house she was staying at." _

"_Yeah…you care enough. You did your job, and your getting social services to clean up the mess!" _

"_Olivia! You are completely out of line…" _Cragen's voice rose to the level of Benson's.

"_Sometimes I don't think that you put a face to the victims…"_

"_It's our job. You have to separate yourself."_

"_But it's not only a job, don't you get it…you –"_

"_ENOUGH!"_ Stabler spoke for the first time, silencing the two of them. _"Look I'm going to lay this out straight. Hope is one scared little girl. She's had it really rough; right now she's looking for love and structure. A foster home might be safer, but it's going to scare her into running. She needs a loving figure in her life, that won't deal with her self-destructive behavior…"_

Benson and Cragen looked disbelievingly at Stabler.

"What? Once you're a parent you read a loads of books about this…Anyway, I've been thinking about it. I'll take her in. I mean we'll have to clear it with Novak, but I'm sure she could get me temporary custody…as long as I'm not officially involved with her brother and father's case."

"Are you sure you want to do this Elliot?" Olivia questioned.

"Yeah. I think it's just what the doctor ordered, for the both of us. Can you arrange that Captain?"

Cragen nodded proud of Elliot's decision, and picked up the phone.

Olivia could tell that Stabler didn't want to wait inside, and insisted on taking a walk down and out for her own health. Stabler immediately agreed. They picked up a coffee and sat on a bench together, near a playground. Elliot started talking.

"I'm worried that I'm not going to be a good father figure to her"

"Where's this coming from Elliot?"

"Well, I mean I'm away from home so much with the job. That's why everything broke down, after all. But I want to be there for her."

"I'm sure everyone will be very accommodating, they all care about her."

"I don't want to slack off either, though."

"So maybe certain days the two of you go home for dinner, and others she spends at the unit, still with certain supervision, and working off those pesky community service hours that public high schools require?"

"That's not a bad idea, Olivia. Actually, I think that was brilliant."

"There are problems I can solve without confrontation…"

"I never doubted that, simply doubted whether you wanted to."

The two chuckled, and spoke exchanged some more friendly banter. Once again Elliot brought up more serious matters.

"I'm pretty pissed off…"

"About the game?"

"No." He sighed heavily. "What Hope's been into lately. Drugs, dealing, living on the street, fights…I don't understand why she would make decisions like that."

"I bet she knows that your upset."

"Yeah, but I need her to know that I'm upset with the decisions she has made, not her. But I think she needs me to be upset too."

"Yeah. I bet she does."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Benson restarted the conversation.

"Elliot?"

"Yes?"

"You're going to be a great dad. Just some advice."

"Anything…"

"When she wants to call you dad, and she will…don't make it uncomfortable for her. Don't make a big thing. Let her feel loved enough to replace you in her mind with that bastard."

"Of course."


	5. Hope Rekindled

Hope's face brightened when she saw Elliot nearly a block away, where Munch had parked. The three of them had gotten out together. The two detectives walked slower than normal. Finally Munch put a hand on his ward's shoulder.

"_I know you want to run and practically tackle the guy. And he wants you to. So get going, don't wait for us_."

She ran. Olivia almost cried when she jumped straight into Stabler's arms. He spun around in circles a few times, and then finally set her on her feet, after practically covering her entire head in kisses.

"_Hey kiddo_" he whispered his eyes brimming with tears "_I'm glad your home_."

"_So you don't hate me_?"

"_How could I_?"

"_You should._" She said strongly backing away.

"_I don't deserve any of this. I asked for it all. I don't have any right running back to you for help. Damnit, you don't have a right to take me out of where I was. Maybe I was happy. Maybe I deserved it_."

Elliot took a step towards her.

"_Well, I'm upset about what you did. But I forgive you…it's alright_."

"_I didn't asking for shit, not even your forgiveness. Part of growing up is letting go of babyish dreams_."

"_Like what_?"

"_Like…having another…another family. But that will never happen. I can't pretend that someone will care for me, someone will rescue me from everything. Because that aint how the world works, is it?_"

"_Sometimes…_"

"_Sometimes? What kind of answer is that. That's what my brother used to say…this is only sometimes, sweetheart. One day we'll get away from all of this. And do you know how that worked out_?" Tears flowed openly now. Hope wrapped her arms around herself, she was shaking from the cold.

"_How did that work out, Hope?_" Olivia carefully prodded, trying to figure out once and for all what happened.

"_The day…the day after my father raped me my brother told him that he was going to take me away. That he was finally put an end to all of this. Because, I told him I couldn't live this way anymore. And my father picked up his shotgun, and he shot my brother in the head after ordering me and Taylor upstairs. I should've done something. I should have stopped him. I shouldn't have gone upstairs…_" Hope collapsed onto her knees hysterically crying. Stabler knelt down next to her and gathered her into his arms. She buried her face into his chest and sobbed. Munch and Finn looked ready to kill someone, Olivia's heart was breaking.

"_Let me tell you a secret. I'm never ever going to let him hurt you again. I promise…_" Stabler whispered in the girl's ear. She held onto him tighter.

"_I'm tired. Can we go home_?"

"_Yeah, kiddo, we can do that_."


	6. Tension

"Hope? HOOOPEE?" Elliot hollered down the hallway from the kitchen.

"What!" She snapped back still angrily grumpy from the sun having the audacity to rise so damn early.

"Breakfasts now, and school is like ten minutes ago, so get your butt moving. Do you understand me, young lady?"

Hope grumbled again, and slammed the door quickly. She hated when he said 'young lady' or 'Hope Elizabeth', it was so damn patronizing. "Leave me alone." She thought, very loudly. Clumsily she hid her cell phone, her cigarettes, and her lighter in the same pocket and came running out for breakfast.

"Hey sweetheart," Elliot said patiently walking over to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Why don't you get yourself a drink?"

And as she reached for the glass it all came tumbling out. The lighter and the cigarettes. She picked them up fast with her cell phone.

"Dropped my phone better get it…hehe, silly me."

"Hope Elizabeth, stand up right now." His voice had suddenly made a 180 degree turn.

"…Yeess?"

"Empty your pockets, immediately."

"But…"

"Right now. I really don't want to have to count to three."

(What's really funny about the counting to three threat, is that no one ever really waits for three…it could always be an empty threat.)

"Look…I don't have to and I won't. I'm seventeen years old, Elliot, I have certain rights. You can't hold anything against me that wasn't found in a good search."

Elliot grinned inside. A.D.A Novak was rubbing off on his little girl, his smart-ass little girl, but it was sweet all the same.

"Except, my darling, it was a good search, because I have probable cause. They fell out of your pocket, and I found them before the commission of a crime. I am using a pre-emptive strike, you could say."

"Jesus…Elliot…"

"I'm waiting…One…TWO…" His voice was growing louder, and sterner, and more bad cop by the second, and Hope did not feel like testing him. She emptied her pockets quickly laying the cigarettes and lighter far away from him on the table.

"You will listen to me, and you will listen good. You're late for school so I'm only going to talk for a moment. I will not allow you to smoke your life away. I don't care if you're seventeen or if you come home to visit at 30…you are not allowed to smoke while living in this house. Secondly, I would have you know that if I find you smoking I will whoop your tiny ass into remembering this particular rule."

Hope just stared, almost frightened, at Elliot. He reached swiftly onto the table and took the cigarettes out, breaking them all in two with large hands, and then deposited the remains in the trash. The two continued to stare each other down, as Hope grew more indignant by the second.

"I'm not five years old, Elliot!"

"I would hope you weren't smoking at five…" He bit bat sarcastically.

"You can't tell me what to do. This is a personal decision! Mine to make, and mine alone."

"Except it's not. And the answers no, end of discussion."

"Okay, be a patronizing, condescending A-HOLE…it seems to be in your nature…"

Stabler took a deep breath in and Hope's stomach did nervous somersaults. She had only been living here for a few months, and had never pushed the envelope this far.

"Excuse me, Hope Elizabeth?"

"There you go…starting that stuff again. My name is Hope…talk to me, not at me."

"Well, Hope, I don't have civilized conversations with people who disrespect me, understood?"

"Oh right, Elliot, how do you deal with that 'on the streets' beat the shit out of any perp that fits the target for you at the moment?"

"Hope…" Elliot's voice sank to a warning tone.

"Yes? Never mind, Elliot, I realize you don't deal well with strong personalities. I'll back down to assuage your ego."

"HOPE!" Elliot barked loudly. "I don't deal well with punk-kid smart-ass's who think they can out talk me, because they can't. Are we understood?"

"Whatever, screw this…"

Hope bounded out of the apartment, slamming the door angrily behind her. "Hope Elizabeth – Young LADY – blahblahblah…" she muttered under her breath.

Just then her cell phone began to call out for her to answer it, the sounds of a poor quality Marley ring-tone, echoing in the staircase.

"Yeah, I'm still getting a ride…I'll be out in a second…No, nothing's wrong…can we just pick up some cigarettes on the way to school?"


	7. Seeing is Believing

A hard knock on the door rattled Detective Benson awake. She opened the door carefully, which revealed her partner on the other side, looking like he had some awful headache.

"_Elliot? What are you doing here? It's 8 in the morning…" _A tired and cranky Olivia scratched out, rubbing her eyes.

"_Well…the suns up and the world is awake and I thought you might need a ride and…"_

Detective Stabler stammered slowly, and let himself into Olivia's apartment. He sank slowly onto her couch and she stared at him quietly.

"_And what, partner?"_

"_And Hope is running around out there in the world with whoever it is she hangs out with. Probably a cigarette smoking punk, who will end up in our precinct in a few months…"_

"_Elliot..." _Olivia asked, obviously tired and a little annoyed.

"_Yes?"_

"_Isn't Hope at school, running around with books or something, sitting in some class pretending to pay attention?"_

"_NO…I called the school and they say she didn't sign in, and she was supposed to be there at 7.45, and I don't know…we got into a fight this morning."_

"_About what?"_

(About an hour later)

"_SMOKING? HOPE'S SMOKING, NOW? Of all the idiotic, commercialized, cult-like, American obsessions…" _Munch rambled off angrily and paced around the office. The conversation about the confrontation that morning had continued in the precinct, and all the detectives seemed to be upset by it.

"_I guess that hits a nerve with Munch, huh?" _Elliot whispered over to Olivia.

"_He thinks it's just another American scheme to make money while really destroying the population it's supposed to nurture and protect, 'impressionable youth'." _Olivia recited back using the appropriate air quotes.

"_I guess that's one appropriate conspiracy theory for him to hold." _Elliot chuckled to himself.

"_BENSON STABLER- my office, NOW!"_ Cragen's voice echoed through the building.

"_Uh…oh…dad's mad." _Fin laughed to himself, reusing a favorite line, and secretly thankful that it wasn't his name being called.

"_Thanks a lot, detective…" _Olivia said sarcastically, swatting Fin with a case fine.

"_OW! Quit it Olivia…" _Fin feigned pain.

"_NOW!" _Cragen's voice bellowed. Olivia and Elliot nearly ran into the office.

They emerged fifteen minutes later.

"_What's the deal?" _Fin asked.

"_We screwed up something, with that last investigation. Illegal search and seizure, I think?" _Stabler answered calmly.

"_Elliot…" _Olivia scolded, "_It was improper use of force, you know when you slammed the guys head on the car? Remember that, buddy?"_

"_No, I have no recollection of that incident," _he grinned. "_Anyway we're off to see the judge, and whatnot. Hey Fin, you free to pick up Hope tonight? Looks like we'll be a while."_

"_I'd love to Elliot, but I can't. I have…I have another matter to attend to."_

The other detectives glanced at each other nervously. No one knew what the other 'matters' ever were, but they didn't really ask either. Olivia joked that Fin was Batman, Munch worried that he really was.

"_I'll pick her up." _Munch volunteered.

"_Thanks…you sure, John?"_

"_Yeah, I haven't seen the girl in a while. You know, I might want to have a little conversation with her."_

Elliot just smiled at the conniving detective.

"_Don't be too harsh on her, alright?"_

"_You got it Elliot, I cross my heart." _

(Later that night)

Munch drove the car silently. He kept looking at Hope out of the corner of his eye. "_She's crying the poor kid…" _he thought to himself. "_Maybe that was too much…I don't know, what should I do?" _

"_Hope?" _John asked quietly.

"_Yee-ees?" _She sniffled with even less sound.

"_Are you alright?"_

"_Am I alrighteee? Are you kidding me? I hate you JOHN MUNCH! I HATE YOU! I cann't believe that you would take me to that awful place, and show me those people, and they were so hurt and I don't know why you would want to scare me like that…"_

John's voice grew serious for a moment.

"_Hope. That place was a hospital. Those people were dying of smoking those damn sticks you breathe in everyday. I wanted to scare you. I hope I scared you into never touching another one again."_

He slowed the car down and stopped in front of Elliot's apartment. He opened the door, and got out to walk Hope to the front of the place.

"_Hey John?"_

"_Yeah?"_

Hope surprised him, by throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a big hug.

"_What was that for?" _John asked with a smile.

"_Well I'm sorry for saying I hated you, because I don't, well most of the time. And thanks for caring…I guess."_

"_Well I'm glad that had an impact. Will you give me your cigarettes now?" _He looked down at the girl sternly.

"_Let me tell you a secret, John? I threw them out already. Well thanks for the ride. Goodnight."_

"_Goodnight, Hope."_


	8. A Nightmare

Detective Elliot Stabler jumped anxiously to his feet. It was two-thirty in the morning and he heard the sounds of muffled screams coming from Hope's room. He reached for his gun without thinking and ran towards her room. He stood at one side of the door cautiously, listening through the hard oak.

"_GET OFF OF ME…" _A frightened voice screamed. There was crying and then gasping for breath.

Without a second thought Elliot barreled through the door with his gun drawn, not letting whomever it was in the room a moment's chance to move. What he found was Hope.

The girl lay crumpled on the bed, the blankets and sheets wrapped around her, her arms clutching a pillow. Her eyes were shut tightly but she was crying. She moved around as if someone were attacking her.

Looking down at her Detective Stabler's eyes filled with tears. His footsteps lightened, and he placed the gun down. He sank slowly onto Hope's bed, and gently shook her awake.

"Sweetheart wake up, you're having a nightmare." 

Hope's eyes only shut tighter at the sound of his voice.

"_Get off of me, please…please…" _She stopped screaming and her voice had lowered to that of a whimper. "_Just for once leave me alone. I'm so scared…just leave me alone."_

"_Hope, baby…wake up, you're safe now."_

"_I want a real dad…leave me alone. Stop hurting me, please. I want a dad that loves me…I want to be safe. Get off of me…just get off of me."_

"_Hope…baby girl, wake up. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."_

The girl then let out the most startling scream. It was loud and piercing and heartbreaking. She sat straight up, and pushed her way off the bed. She started to check and recheck whether her windows were locked.

"_Is the door shut Elliot? Are you sure it's locked…what about your windows?"_ She stammered quickly.

"_Sweetheart, sit down."_

"_I've got to make sure…" _She stammered out.

"_Hope…come sit down, you were having a nightmare."_

The girl looked over at Elliot for a moment, and then crumpled to the floor. She sat hugging her knees and whimpering.

"_My liiife was a nightmare." _Then she kept crying, whimpering softly.

Elliot jumped up and ran to the girl. He knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her shaking body. He held her close for a few minutes, until the shudders left her body.

"_Don't worry, baby girl, you are safe now. I won't let anything happen to you. I'm right here."_

Elliot sat there rocking her for a few minutes. She murmured some soft words and fell back asleep with her head on his shoulder. Elliot picked the teenager up and laid her softly back in her bed. The man stared at her for a while, and his eyes filled with tears again. Leaning down he kissed the girl gently on her forehead.

"_Don't worry, Hope. Nothing can hurt you. Daddy's here."_


	9. Rebellion

Hope sat puffing away on a cigarette sitting on the roof of her friend Amanda's apartment building. _"I thought you gave those things up." _Amanda stated slyly. "_I did…I'm only a nervous smoker." _Hope replied candidly. "_Well…you have nothing to be worried about sweetheart, you're dealing with a pro." "But this isn't just any other car." _Hope pointed out. "_It has wheels don't it, and an engine, and a nice pair of jumper cables. It's a car, it can be taken." _The other teen gave an involuntary shudder.

"_I can not believe…" _the girl thought to herself, "_that I'm about to steal Fin's car." _

She lit another cigarette and shook her head.

EARLIER THAT DAY

"_HOOPPEE?" _Elliot screamed in the all-familiar hunt for his teenage ward.

"_ELLIIOT?" _Hope replied sarcastically in a hope to not be found.

"_We have to talk Hope. I'm going away for the weekend."_

A half hour later Hope had been filled in on the plans for Elliot's weekend. He was going to spend some alone time with his kids, since he hadn't seen them in a while. And he wasn't going back on the fact that he wanted Hope to meet them, it was just that this weekend was supposed to be 'family' only. It was apparently "_…a chance to rekindle some of what was left of the old relationships."_

Hope sat there on the couch watching Elliot rigidly. She nodded curtly and smiled at his mention on his kids.

"_Great…family…" _she thought to herself. "_Come on, think positive. At least I'll get a chance to throw an awesome 'teenage wasteland' kind of party…"_

Hope smiled unknowingly at this thought. Elliot interpreted her smile as acceptance.

"_I'm glad you're coming around, Hope. I already called Fin and he said you could spend the weekend with him."_

"_WHAT? Why can't I stay here?"_

"_Because there is no way I'm leaving you alone."_

"_You don't trust me! I'm nearly seventeen years old."_

"_Well, as a matter of fact, I don't trust you. More than that, I don't trust the kind of people that run around this city, waiting for girls like you to be alone."_

"_Like you know anything, Elliot. I know that part of the world, I know those people, I was one of them, remember?"_

"_You were never and will never be one of them, Hope! I won't let you speak of yourself this way."_

"_Whatever," _Hope snapped, and murmured something about Elliot being a capitalistic, chauvinistic, sheltered cop-pig.

"_Excuse me, young lady? That attitude has to drop now – I could always tell Fin that you're grounded."_

Hope shut up. There apparently was a really good drunken-teenage-wasteland party going down tonight. She had all her sights set on going.

LATER THAT DAY AT FIN'S APARTMENT

"_Hey kiddo, I'm ordering a pizza. Any particular requests?" _Fin smiled down at Hope who had warmed up as soon as she came over.

Hope really liked Fin. He was smart, and kind, and funny. The only time she had seen him get really overprotective was the day he got her off the streets. Hope didn't feel like repeating that again, but either way she loved Fin.

"_You know what Fin, I'm okay. I'm actually going out to eat with a bunch of friends."_

She immediately noticed the hurt in his eyes. He'd obviously been planning to spend some time with her and now she'd shattered that.

"_But I promise we'll do lunch tomorrow…"_

"_I don't know, I usually don't receive being stood up very well." _The man grinned. He reached over to the girl and began to tickle her. They were both laughing within minutes. Hope's phone chirped, and she reached over to answer it.

"_You're outside? Okay, I'll be there in a second." _Hope grabbed her coat to leave.

"_I don't know, Hope. Elliot told me to check and double check every person you went out with…" _The detective smiled slyly. He thought Elliot was being slightly overbearing as well.

"_Puhlease Uncle Fin," _Hope smiled and wrapped her arms around Fin in a big hug. The 'Uncle Fin' line got to him every time.

"_Fine," _he smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "_But you better be home by eleven."_

"_Eleven? But…"_

"_NON-NEGOTIABLE. Now get out of here before I change my mind…" _Fin growled with his arms folded, and his eyes twinkling.

Hope smiled back at him. Maybe this weekend wouldn't be so bad. She'd still go out, and meet some boys, and drink a little. She just had to be sure not to be too drunk when she got back. It was not fun to be on the receiving end of Fin's bad cop act. Just as she was thinking this her phone rang.

"_Hey Hope, it's Amanda. There's been a change of plans. Meet me on my building in 5 minutes."_

Before Hope got a chance to talk the call was ended.

ON TOP OF AMANDA'S ROOF

"_I don't understand," _Hope started, "_why do we need a car?"_

"_Because the party's on the island, and you only have until 11, and we got to pick up shit."_

"_What kind of shit?" _

"_Nothing like you used to be into, don't worry. Just some a little booze, some weed, and maybe some coke."_

"_I don't know…"_

"_Did living with a cop change you that much?"_

"_That's not fair. I…I just don't know what Fin, or Elliot, would do if they found out."_

"_Are you scared?"_

"_NO!" _Hope sat for a second, and lit another cigarette. She nervously bit her lip and tried to decide what to do. If she bailed she was a narc, she was a loser, she was a cop. But if she did it…well it wasn't definite that she'd get caught.

"_Fine…I'm in. What car are we taking?"_

"_I had my sights set on that one…" _Amanda said pointing to Fin's car in the lot.


End file.
